(NOTE: Music That Sucks is the correct opinion of the author. If your own opinion differs, what's up wit' that?)

Arena Rock, Mullet Rock, Corporate Rock. This sub-genre of rock music is sometimes called "Arena Rock" by fans due to the fact that the top groups typically played pack stadiums, "Mullet Rock" refers to the hairstyle all of them had and is used by fans and dissenters alike, while the term "Corporate Rock" is a derogatory term that refers to the cookie-cutter sound and style of music that made each band pretty much interchangable to the untrained ear.

Corporate Rock, while basically snubbed by critics, at one time dominated the airwaves and today has a small but loyal fanbase, especially in the southeast. Needless to say I hate Corporate Rock with a deep passion, and rest assured there will be plenty of Corporate Rockers inducted into MTS. With the eighth installment I present to you a band that is perhaps the most popular and most annoying of them all: Journey.

Journey was born out of the band Santana, and put together by ex-Santana manager Herbie Herbert in 1973 as The Golden Gate Rhythm Section. Originally the group featured ex-Santana players Neil Schon on guitar and Greg Rollie on vocals/keyboards, along with George Tickner as the rhythm guitarist, Ross Valory on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on drums. They were then renamed Journey in a radio contest and ended up releasing three albums under the new name, consisting mostly of overblown, jazzy instrumentals. This prompted Herbert to change the focus of the group to more of a pop rock sound, and change the face of rock music forever, and not for the better.

Tickner was quickly booted, and Dunbar was replaced by Steve Smith, Herbert added vocalist Steve Perry in 1977. Perry, with his quiefishly high voice was apparently just the ticket to propel Journey into the big time. In 1978 the new look Journey released Infinity, featuring the ear-drum shatteringly painful single "Wheel In The Sky" (#57), and the vaginally soft balled "Lights" (#68). The album climbed to #21 on the Billboard charts. I know what you're thinking "Hey Jim, neither of those two singles made the Top 40, I thought...", well it gets worse.

1979's Evolution came next, peaking at #20. This album featured their first top 20 hit, "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin" (#16). How I feel for those who were around at the time that actually had a good musical ear, being constantly subjected to this pure s**t. By 1980, still without a #1 single or album, the group decided to release a compilation album In The Beginning, which tanked. Their next studio album Departure (1980) was another hit however, peaking at #8 on the strength of the hit single "Any Way You Want It" (#23). Yet another wretched single displaying Perry's clitorally enhanced vocals, "Any Way You Want It" sounds like the other Journey singles. Big f**kin' surprise.

Following the release of the live double-album Captured (1981, #9) Greg Rollie, apparently tired of the Springtime Fresh smell of the dressing rooms, quit the band, only to be replaced by Jonathan Cain. It was also in 1981 that Journey would put out their most successful (and suckiest) album, Escape, which is their only #1 album.

The first single off the album "Who's Crying Now", becomes Journey's first top ten hit, reaching as high as #4. I'm crying now, and every time I hear that f**king song. "Don't Stop Believin'" a manure infested song that sounds like everything else Journey has done (that's a shock) reached #9, while their next single "Open Arms" made it to #2, edged by J. Geils Band and Joan Jett for the top spot. Yes kids, 1981/1982 was a horrible period in rock history.

In 1983 Journey was featured in an arcade game based on the Escape album. You read that right, they actually made an arcade game based on a f**king Journey album! The game is basically a rip-off of such classics as Galaga, Galaxian, and Donkey Kong, featuring each band member in solo missions, and manager Herbie Herbert in a bonus mission. It was the first arcade game to feature a rock band, and the first to use digitized graphics in the form of b&w photos of each members' head. The game is readily available to play on the MAME arcade emulator. Having played the game I can tell you it sucks almost as bad as their music. An interesting tid-bit, the game was orginally not supposed to include Journey, but have a digital camera that would take a picture of the player and impose their head on the digitized body. After some people decided to use their private parts as character heads during testing the idea was 86ed.

The follow-up to Escape, 1983's Frontiers peaks at #2 on the charts. Some dude named Micheal Jackson and some album by the name of Thriller prevent the album from reaching #1. Oh sure, it's these other sucky bands' fault that this s**t didn't reach the top spot. Journey fans are whiny little bitches. The singles "Seperate Ways (World's Apart)" (#8), and "Faithfully" (#12) are more of the same bland bitch-hits Journey continues to unleash.

Taking some time off in 1984, Steve Perry releases a solo album titled Street Talk, and proving that he is the reason Journey is popular (why I'll never know) Street Talk ends up going platinum and produces the #3 hit "Oh Sherrie". By this time Perry had become the leader of the group and fired Valory and Smith. 1986's Raised On Radio was considered a failure despite selling two million copies, and by the following year Journey called it quits, and sanity finally won out. A 1988 hits collection sold a staggaring 8 million copies featuring a bunch of songs that sound alike.

Unfortunately the group reformed in 1995, and in 1996 released the putrid Trial By Fire. This time around however they were a niche group, getting play on mostly Adult/Contemporary radio stations. The album entered the charts at #3 and plummeted shortly thereafter. It didn't take long before Perry and Smith leave the band to be replaced by a generic drummer and a Perry sound-alike. You can currently catch them at a County Fair near you.

Journey, music...that sucks!

(Shout-outs to: rollingstone.com, journey-tribute.com for the particulars; as well as klov.com for the particulars of the arcade game.)

Logged

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish." - Unknown

Dog Hambone

I couldn't agree more! Journey typified the sad state of affairs of rock & roll music in the late 1970s/early 1980s. They were all over the radio at the time, & unfortunately several of their songs are permanently burned into my memory banks. Thank goodness there was punk & new wave music going on at the time; it was a much needed rebellion against the tripe that Journey spewed out.

I don't believe the "lyrics" of their "songs" ever mattered to Journey, this being one of the most egregious examples: "Anyway you want it, that's the way you need it, anyway you want it".Excuse me, I think I have to go throw up.

The worst thing about last years White Sox drive to the World Series, was the fact that they chose "Don't Stop Believing" as their theme song. The only bad memory of the whole Series was at the end of the night , they were in the locker room spraying Champagne around singing that God awfull song.

Sorry man, I just don't like that pre-fab corporate rock. To me you can lump a whole slew of those bands together (Boston, Chicago, REO, Journey and Styx) and there is nothing there. They all sound alike and have no soul. Just my opinion. You would probably hate what I like (Iron Maiden, the Doors, Johnny Cash, Armored Saint, Motorhead) so there you have it: opinions are like a**holes, we all got 'em. That being said, I love the Stooges and think Shemp should be canonized as the patron saint of comedy. End communication.

Sorry man, I just don't like that pre-fab corporate rock. To me you can lump a whole slew of those bands together (Boston, Chicago, REO, Journey and Styx) and there is nothing there. They all sound alike and have no soul. Just my opinion. You would probably hate what I like (Iron Maiden, the Doors, Johnny Cash, Armored Saint, Motorhead) so there you have it: opinions are like a**holes, we all got 'em. That being said, I love the Stooges and think Shemp should be canonized as the patron saint of comedy. End communication.

Speaking of rockumentaries, did you see the trailers for the Lemmy documentary?

Sorry man, I just don't like that pre-fab corporate rock. To me you can lump a whole slew of those bands together (Boston, Chicago, REO, Journey and Styx) and there is nothing there. They all sound alike and have no soul.

Give the man a Kewpie Doll (hollowed out and filled with the narcotic of his choosing)!

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"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish." - Unknown

AmalgamatedMoron

Sorry man, I just don't like that pre-fab corporate rock. To me you can lump a whole slew of those bands together (Boston, Chicago, REO, Journey and Styx) and there is nothing there. They all sound alike and have no soul. Just my opinion. You would probably hate what I like (Iron Maiden, the Doors, Johnny Cash, Armored Saint, Motorhead) so there you have it: opinions are like a**holes, we all got 'em. That being said, I love the Stooges and think Shemp should be canonized as the patron saint of comedy. End communication.

I could say the same about most metal bands. But that wouldn't be fair. It's one thing to say it's not your cup of tea, it's quite another to refuse to recognize good musicianship. This seems typical of metalheads. They disparage most everything that strays the least bit from their favorite hardcore music.

Just consider what Metallica's fans said of them when they moved away from their roots in making music that was artistically different than their earliest music. I think it shows their depth and diversity. That's why they are the only metal band to have reached the status they have; in their fan base, in their sales, and in the level of recognition they garner from those even outside their genre of music.

I could say the same about most metal bands. But that wouldn't be fair. It's one thing to say it's not your cup of tea, it's quite another to refuse to recognize good musicianship. This seems typical of metalheads. They disparage most everything that strays the least bit from their favorite hardcore music.

While I do find this statement about the average metalhead to be true, I also have to say that Journey is far from "good musicianship". The Journey's, Boston's, REO's, Chicago's, Foreigner's, and Styx's of the world are very cookie cutter and bland. The record execs saw the monumental success of Boston's debut album and then that opened the flood gates for what is now known as Corporate Rock (Arena Rock for fans of this stuff). Sure, they may be able to play their instruments, but as vomit said these groups had absolutely no soul. They were all too slick, polished and mechanical...all made from the same mold.

I'll use the Beatles as an example. When they first hit it big in the mid 60's there came legions of bands that had similar looks and sounds as the Fab Four (Dave Clark Five comes to mind...there are a slew of others). It was the eventual rejection of the "British Invasion" sound (and drugs) that paved the way for the psychedelic era, and when that became passe we got Corporate Rock then Punk, New Wave, Hair Metal, Grunge, Alternative, and the bullshit that passes for rock music today.

It all boils down to whether you would listen to a pianist who knows Beethoven's 5th perfectly, note for note and just sits down and plays it or a pianist who pours his heart out through his fingertips thereby giving a unique take on the piece. The first one is just a pianist while the second is an artist. As for me I'll take the artist every time.

Logged

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish." - Unknown

While I do find this statement about the average metalhead to be true, I also have to say that Journey is far from "good musicianship". The Journey's, Boston's, REO's, Chicago's, Foreigner's, and Styx's of the world are very cookie cutter and bland. The record execs saw the monumental success of Boston's debut album and then that opened the flood gates for what is now known as Corporate Rock (Arena Rock for fans of this stuff). Sure, they may be able to play their instruments, but as vomit said these groups had absolutely no soul. They were all too slick, polished and mechanical...all made from the same mold.

I'll use the Beatles as an example. When they first hit it big in the mid 60's there came legions of bands that had similar looks and sounds as the Fab Four (Dave Clark Five comes to mind...there are a slew of others). It was the eventual rejection of the "British Invasion" sound (and drugs) that paved the way for the psychedelic era, and when that became passe we got Corporate Rock then Punk, New Wave, Hair Metal, Grunge, Alternative, and the bullshit that passes for rock music today.

You forgot to mention Bubblegum music. Luckily, most of you are young enough that you didn't have to suffer through this shit.

Journey played a style of music, call it corporate rock, arena rock, AOR, whatever, and they were one of the most successful at it. They can techically play their instruments, but in my opinion, they sold out. They went from improvisational fusion musicians who had previous experience with Carlos Santana to playing three minute pop songs my Mom likes. It's one thing to show honest, natural progression, but fusion and Mom music are two VERY different worlds. Genesis and Yes also made the same sellouts, except they were British prog bands initially.

As far as the whole close minded metalhead stereotype, I agree. As somebody who listens to tons of 70's - mid 80's hard rock and metal myself, it saddens me how close-minded most fellow metalheads are when you wanna talk music (had guys refuse to jam with me once because I like The Beatles). Metal is the only genre in the world where maturity is equated to being heavier and less subtle. The great thing about a lot of those earlier hard rock and metal bands is that they didn't know they were playing metal, they just did it, and it was very honest. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple albums had actual stylistic diversity, and with today's obsession with fitting into a genre, you'll never see their likes again, at least in the mainstream. Also, the treatment Metallica get for their Load albums is beyond despicable and a perfect example of the close mindedness I'm referring to.

I refuse to look at Lemmy until he visits a dermatologist and has those damn moles removed!

Nahhh, Lemmy is handsome! Besides, scientific studies have shown conclusively that 100% of Lemmy's talent and charisma emanates from the cocoa puffs on his face.

For those who think I may be closed-minded about music, I'm not (I was years ago). I LOVE all kinds of music/bands/styles/artists: The Doors, Maiden, Merle Haggard, The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Slayer, Goatlord, CDB, the offspring, NOFX, Social Distortion, Ray Charles, Rodney Crowell, Rush, CCR, Judas Priest, piano music, classical, Xmas Music (especially "Christmas With the Devil"), Black Sabbath, Queensryche, Valient Thorr, Armored Saint, Blue Oyster Cult, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and you get the drift. I do not like "Rap". Not music to me; poetry with a beat or something like that.

I will be seeing the Lemmy Documentary! Can you imagine his smiling mug peering down at you from the bigscreen? It's gonna be Great!

Nahhh, Lemmy is handsome! Besides, scientific studies have shown conclusively that 100% of Lemmy's talent and charisma emanates from the cocoa puffs on his face.

For those who think I may be closed-minded about music, I'm not (I was years ago). I LOVE all kinds of music/bands/styles/artists: The Doors, Maiden, Merle Haggard, The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Slayer, Goatlord, CDB, the offspring, NOFX, Social Distortion, Ray Charles, Rodney Crowell, Rush, CCR, Judas Priest, piano music, classical, Xmas Music (especially "Christmas With the Devil"), Black Sabbath, Queensryche, Valient Thorr, Armored Saint, Blue Oyster Cult, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and you get the drift. I do not like "Rap". Not music to me; poetry with a beat or something like that.

I will be seeing the Lemmy Documentary! Can you imagine his smiling mug peering down at you from the bigscreen? It's gonna be Great!

Sheryl Crow (insert drooling Homer Simpson noises)

You mentioned "Christmas With The Devil." Spinal Tap is arguably the greatest band who ever lived next to Krokus and Grim Reaper. I'm still pissed amazon refuses to carry INTRAVENUS DE MILO and SHARK SANDWICH.

I wasn't talking about you, but there are definitely plenty of close-minded metalheads out there. Sadly, I know too many metal guys who don't understand why I listen to all that "60's and 70's crap," while the classic rock guys can't understand how I get excited when "The Trooper" is on. I dislike living cliches, but you have an interesting list.

As for Lemmy, only saw the man in concert once, at Ozzfest '98. Hands down one of the most intense concert experiences of my life. I have every Motorhead album.

AmalgamatedMoron

While I do find this statement about the average metalhead to be true, I also have to say that Journey is far from "good musicianship".

I couldn't disagree more. At a young age, Neal Schon was called a prodigy. You may disagree, but his skills are there nonetheless. Listen, I get it that you guys don't like the band, and others that are considered in the same vain. However, the attacks on their playing are unwarranted. Perhaps we should say it's not to your taste. I have certainly heard the criticisms you raise here before. They're "arena rock", "they're molded by the record labels". Well, maybe so in some cases. But I like em' anyway. I guess I still have a fondness for what I grew up on. My late father was always playing Foreigner, ELO, and Meatloaf, and so not surprisingly, I liked this stuff as a kid. Hell, I still like these guys...I must admit. So shoot me.

I think we can all agree on certain other "musicians", and even entire genre of "music" as being crap. Take rap, for instance. My uncle, who is a very talented guitarist, and who once played professionally, has lamented the fact that these rappers have no training in reading and writing music. They cannot sing, they cannot play an instrument, and just about all "brothers from the hood" can do it. So what's so special about these guys? This is a legitimate target for your indignation, IMO.

It all boils down to whether you would listen to a pianist who knows Beethoven's 5th perfectly, note for note and just sits down and plays it or a pianist who pours his heart out through his fingertips thereby giving a unique take on the piece. The first one is just a pianist while the second is an artist. As for me I'll take the artist every time.

Sorry Jim, but I'd be glad to listen to a musician who can play Beethoven's 5th perfectly, note for note. What's wrong with that? I love listening to Yngwie Malmsteen play the guitar. He's a technical master. But he is often accused of having no "soul". So what? His technical proficiency makes me weep. Now he is a real a-hole, but that's a different issue.

Some would say - "Oh listen to Hendrix, he has so much charisma and soul". Well, ok. So...what does that mean? It's vague and subjective. I appreciate the musician with natural talent who spends years honing his craft. Even if someone says he doesn't have enough soul or passion, whatever that is. This type of description leads to overrating musicians. Particularly in the area of instrumental guitar, which is my favorite. I want to hurl every time I hear some schlub tell me how good Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Carlos Santana are. These men are immensely popular, no doubt. But objectively rating someone musically is not done by counting noses.

I listen to the technical brilliance of the greats, past and present, from all genres. Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, Wes Montgomery, Al Di Meola, John Williams, Warren Haynes, Ry Cooder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Shawn Lane, Ritchie Kotzen, and of course, Eric Johnson. Many more could be named, but you get the point.

AmalgamatedMoron

For those who think I may be closed-minded about music, I'm not (I was years ago). I LOVE all kinds of music/bands/styles/artists: The Doors, Maiden, Merle Haggard, The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Slayer, Goatlord, CDB, the offspring, NOFX, Social Distortion, Ray Charles, Rodney Crowell, Rush, CCR, Judas Priest, piano music, classical, Xmas Music (especially "Christmas With the Devil"), Black Sabbath, Queensryche, Valient Thorr, Armored Saint, Blue Oyster Cult, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and you get the drift. I do not like "Rap". Not music to me; poetry with a beat or something like that.

So while you are a metalhead, you have diverse musical interests. That's the sign of a true music connoisseur. IMO, anyone who likes Rush, CCR, and Judas Priest can't be all that bad. I grew up on those guys. Those guys are great - rightly called music legends. Right on bro.

Speaking of the Priest, enjoy this, my favorite. Who could forget the end where the guy's head blows up![youtube=425,350]8K7CNzFhnCE[/youtube]

I couldn't disagree more. At a young age, Neal Schon was called a prodigy. You may disagree, but his skills are there nonetheless. Listen, I get it that you guys don't like the band, and others that are considered in the same vain. However, the attacks on their playing are unwarranted.

Can't speak for the others, but I will agree Neal Schon is a good musician, technically. Journey may not be my cup of tea, but the man has talent. Even Steve Perry has a good vocal range, even if his voice is not to my liking. I still say they're wimps. A band completely void of talent would be Limp Bizkit.

There are some musicians I love who are techinical, some musicians I love who are non-technical, and ultimately, that's why I own so much music.

Ok, for now on this will be called "Music That Is Not My Taste". Here is my new entry for Journey:

I don't really care for the music of Journey, it's not really my taste.

Should I now go ahead and do that for every other inductee? Of course not! MTS is about MY opinion, not yours, and in MY opinion Journey sucks all sorts of ass. There is nothing at all redeeming about the group, from the bland, souless way they play and sing to them sounding like a dozen other groups from the same time period. Are people going to agree with me? Yes (and I find a slight majority do). Are people going to disagree with me? Yes (a lot do), and that's what makes the world go round.

You see, if I just felt that Journey "was not my taste" then I would have never written it. My feelings about Journey and Corporate Rock are much stronger: I hate them (and it) with a passion. Everytime I hear a Journey song I want to scrape out my eardrums with a rusty butter knife. That is why I wrote this, and I will not apologize for or amend this induction because you disagree with me.

As for your downright sacrilegious moment of putting Neil Schon in the same sentence as Jimi Hendrix: there is a reason why Jimi is still a household name to this day and most people don't even know who the fuck Neil Schon is.

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"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish." - Unknown

I listen to the technical brilliance of the greats, past and present, from all genres. Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, Wes Montgomery, Al Di Meola, John Williams, Warren Haynes, Ry Cooder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Shawn Lane, Ritchie Kotzen, and of course, Eric Johnson. Many more could be named, but you get the point.

To a man each of them will tell you will Hendrix was better than they are and in a class all by himself. Hell, SRV basically mimicked Hendrix. Also, to say Jimi was not technically brilliant is silly....he was technically brilliant as well as having had artistic soul.

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"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish." - Unknown

I like Hendrix, own all of the work he released in his lifetime, respect the fact that he revolutionized rock music, but I just don't love the guy like I do certain other guitar players.

When I was a teenager, I used to get into arguments all the time of who was better than who, but I now find such arguments to be pointless. To this day, I still want to vomit everytime I read a Beatles Vs. Stones, Metallica Vs. Megadeth, or Page Vs. Clapton Vs. Beck argument. I've yet to see one that produced anything positive. My favorite guitar player in the world is Ritchie Blackmore. I like Ritchie because emotionally, his style hits me in a way others don't. He can play blues, classical, metal, and has a very melodic slide style. When I hear a Blackmore solo, I know it's him because he has his own sound, and that is the ultimate compliment I can pay a musician. Does that mean he's better than everybody else? No, I just like him better. He emotionally hits me in a way others don't, and I don't think anybody has the right to argue what I find emotionally satisfying and vice versa. It's music, not math, there's no right answer.

Ultimately, these MTS entries are more entertaining for Jim's writing style than his opinions, and I view them as strictly entertainment.

AmalgamatedMoron

Ok, for now on this will be called "Music That Is Not My Taste". Here is my new entry for Journey:

I don't really care for the music of Journey, it's not really my taste.

Should I now go ahead and do that for every other inductee? Of course not! MTS is about MY opinion, not yours, and in MY opinion Journey sucks all sorts of ass. There is nothing at all redeeming about the group, from the bland, souless way they play and sing to them sounding like a dozen other groups from the same time period. Are people going to agree with me? Yes (and I find a slight majority do). Are people going to disagree with me? Yes (a lot do), and that's what makes the world go round.

You see, if I just felt that Journey "was not my taste" then I would have never written it. My feelings about Journey and Corporate Rock are much stronger: I hate them (and it) with a passion. Everytime I hear a Journey song I want to scrape out my eardrums with a rusty butter knife. That is why I wrote this, and I will not apologize for or amend this induction because you disagree with me.

Jim,

I didn't ask you to amend your "Music That Sucks" threads. I'm just offering my own opinion. You no doubt have strong feelings about their music, that's fine by me. While I understand that some don't care for them , I have to admit that I don't understand why some feel so strongly about it. But hey, whatever, so be it. To each his own I suppose. I wasn't trying to piss you off, but apparently I succeeded nonetheless. Sorry.

As you said:

"NOTE: Music That Sucks is the correct opinion of the author. If your own opinion differs, what's up wit' that?"

So be it my Resident Crank.

Logged

AmalgamatedMoron

As for your downright sacrilegious moment of putting Neil Schon in the same sentence as Jimi Hendrix: there is a reason why Jimi is still a household name to this day and most people don't even know who the fuck Neil Schon is.

Perhaps you misunderstood me. I wasn't disparaging the talent of Hendrix. I like the man and his music. I was saying that I believe he is sometimes lifted a little too high. He no doubt inspired a lot of players who are popular today, including my favorite, Eric Johnson; who plays a lot of his music in his live shows. In my opinion he is given too much credit; in part, I believe, due to his untimely and early death. He was turned into a guitar martyr.

I believe that while he was a great player, he wasn't a technical master of the instrument. One example would be Eric Johnson's performance of - Spanish Castle Magic - on Austin City Limits in 2001. His rendition was light years ahead of anything Hendrix ever did with that song, IMO. Having said that, Hendrix was a talented musician who inspired thousands of today's players. That, no doubt, is no small accomplishment. And that is his legacy.

To a man each of them will tell you will Hendrix was better than they are and in a class all by himself. Hell, SRV basically mimicked Hendrix. Also, to say Jimi was not technically brilliant is silly....he was technically brilliant as well as having had artistic soul.

Many would and do refer to him as an inspiration. On the other hand, he had no effect on genre's of music outside his own, which is what you would expect. I have to humbly disagree concerning "technical brilliance". I believe very few warrant the term. In fact, very few rock guitarists would qualify by my standards. It's a term I would more readily apply to an accomplished classical guitarist like John Williams or Andres Segovia. IMO, Hendrix is not one of them. As to "artistic soul", yes many use the term of their favorites. My only complaint is that this term is vague and subjective. I don't know what it means.

Sorry Jim. It's just my personal view.

Below is the Johnson's performance of Hendrix's song I mentioned above. Tell me what you think.[youtube=425,350]LQ-cEHXmIbo[/youtube]